1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a parts feeder and a terminal press-connection device, more particularly to a parts feeder and a terminal press-connection device which facilitates to feed a waterproof seal with an attaching directionality in a predetermined direction.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, a terminal press-connection device is known to process terminal parts such as a transmission cable for a vehicle. This traditional press-connection device, in a reduced time, is to provide accurate performance of sectioning/cutting of the terminal cable of the terminal parts, stripping (removing covering material), twisting, welding, and press-connection of connection terminal. Also, a waterproof seal is used for the purpose of waterproofing the terminal cable and is inserted in the terminal cable of the terminal parts by the terminal press-connection device.
This waterproof seal, generally, is a tube-like shape in entirety. The axial front end side of thereof is tapered with a smaller diameter tube while the axial rear end side (from center) has a larger diameter in an accordion shape. An outer circumference of the front end side tube has a fixed piece, which is provided at the rear end side, is rotationally fixed, thereby fixing the waterproof seal on the covering material surface of the terminal cable with watertight effect and preventing the waterproof seal from detaching from the connection terminal. Also, the larger diameter accordion tube has its internal continuous circumferential surface fitting with an insertion bore formed on a connector to be connected with the connection terminal, thereby preventing the water coming from the connection terminal installation side relative to the connector.
When installing the waterproof seal in the terminal press-connection apparatus, there are a rectilinear feeder with a moving track for the waterproof seal, moving the waterproof seal to the installation/insertion position, and the parts feeder feeding the waterproof seal and the waterproof seal to the rectilinear feeder. These are used to automatically feed the waterproof seal. Then, as the rectilinear feeder appropriately feed the waterproof seal, there is “oscillating parts feeder” filed by this applicant (Provisional Japan patent Publication No. 10-310216). This has oscillating functions and moves the waterproof seal as applying oscillation to the moving track at a predetermined cycle. Furthermore, the range of the oscillation can be increased periodically in order to prevent the waterproof seal from being stuck on the way and to eliminate the possibility of stopping the waterproof seal feeding operation.
Also, generally, the parts feeder may have a round ball shaped ball type parts feeder having the oscillation mechanism and a spiral alignment step at the inner surface side or has a rotation mechanism and a blade piece shape bottomed tube rotation drum parts feeder having the rotation mechanism and a scraping blade at the inner circumferential surface (“cable terminal processor”, Japanese Patent Publication No. 2909689). The former device elevates the waterproof seal received by oscillation of the oscillation mechanism along the alignment step and feeds the waterproof seal to the moving track of the rectilinear feeder in order. Regarding the latter device, the waterproof seal received inside the rotation drive of the rotation drum is elevated by the scraping blade, thereby allowing to drop naturally on one end portion of the rectilinear feeder.
However, the ball type parts feeder, as the diameter becomes larger, needs to extend the length of the moving track of the rectilinear feeder in order to avoid interference with other devices, and therefore the terminal crimping apparatus needs to be larger. Also, as the length of the moving track longer, possibility of the waterproof seal getting stuck on the way becomes more. On the other hand, regarding the rotation drum parts feeder, the amount of waterproof seal to be elevated varies depending upon the amount of waterproof seal received inside, and therefore the waterproof seal is not necessarily, stably fed relative to the rectilinear feeder. In addition, when add the waterproof seal, the rotation drum needs to be detached, which requires more time and is troublesome.
Then, the inventor of this invention invented the parts feeder as shown in FIG. 7. This parts feeder 100 comprises a hopper 101 reserving the waterproof seal at the upper portion and a guiding plate 103 leading the waterproof seal adjacent to an exit 102. Also, the parts feeder 100 has a brush 104 cooperating with the guiding plate 103 to receive the waterproof seal from the exit, and the brush 104 is rotated by the drive control section 105. As rotating the brush 104, the predetermined amount of the waterproof seal is exited from the exit 102 and is guided to the guiding plate 103 to be fed to the rectilinear feeder 106. Then, the waterproof seal, which is supplied to the rectilinear feeder 106, while being in the upright position, is fed on the rectilinear feeder 106.
This applicant recognizes Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-399697 which describes the above-mentioned conventional technologies.
However, the above-described parts feeder, in order to move the waterproof seals to the installation position of the terminal press-connection device, still requires the use of the rectilinear feeder, and the terminal press-connection device of this type comprises the rectilinear feeder and the parts feeder, which is a large in its size and has a higher cost.
This rectilinear feeder is to supply the waterproof seal while being in the upright position, and the parts feeder allows the waterproof seal while being in the upright position to be supplied to the moving track by slightly adjusting the angle of the guiding plate installation, the distance between the guiding plate and the brush, and what not, thereby making the waterproof seal in the upright position, which reduces the time required for the adjustment. Another adjustment is necessary when changing the shape or size of the waterproof seal, which lacks flexibility.
Also, for the waterproof seal with different shapes between the front and rear ends, even if the accordion tube is located in the lower side to upright the waterproof seal, the waterproof seal rarely falls down, which allows the feeding by the rectilinear feeder. However, recently, as smaller size connection terminal becomes on demand, the waterproof seal of the connection terminal needs to become smaller with smaller diameter. If the shape of the waterproof seal does not vary in the axial direction, when the waterproof seal is in the upright position, it becomes unstable and easy to fall down. Therefore, as supplying by the rectilinear feeder, the problems such as that the waterproof seal falls down while moving on the track of the rectilinear feeder or the waterproof seal cannot be transferred from the rectilinear feeder to the next process. Therefore, the parts feeder that can supply/feed smaller parts feeder with can be fed.
This invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances and is to provide the parts feeder, regardless of the types of the waterproof seal, has a simple structure and is able to direct the waterproof seal in the predetermined direction to transfer to the next process.